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I never set out to be the world’s greatest chipologist. However, over the years, people have written various stories about my exploits and achievements.

Whilst I’m not about to try and rewrite history, I’ll let you read some of the tales and you can decide for yourself.
Fact or fiction?

The Making of Thomas Chipman

Story has it that young Thomas was only 15 years of age when he set off on his own from his home in New England. With a zest for adventure, he was keen to travel and explore the wider world. The year was 1823.

Over the next 12 years, Thomas’ travels took him to far off places. From the old world charm of Europe to the exotic Far East, his thirst for discovery was insatiable. He sailed the deepest seas and climbed the highest peaks. It was during one such journey through Peru, while scaling the Andes, he encountered descendants of the ancient Inca empire.

Inspired by their age-old farming and cooking methods, Thomas

spent several months living among the villagers, learning and perfecting these traditional skills.

Some years later, he returned to his small farming community in New England and put to good use the knowledge he had acquired in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. It wasn’t long before Thomas created what he considered to be the ideal corn chip. A tasty chip made from stone ground corn using organic ingredients and cooked to perfection.

Thomas’ reputation as the “chip” man soon spread, until eventually he was known simply as Thomas Chipman. Incredible as it may seem, this is the way Thomas Chipman Corn Chips are made today.

A Chip Off The Old Block

Could it be true that the man best known for his delicious corn chips is also responsible for another creation – the expression “a chip off the old block”? Perhaps so.

It has long been thought that the expression was derived from an earlier phrase which dates back to the early 1600’s. Having a similar connection with timber, “a chip of the same block”, referred to someone of the same source or parentage. These days, we readily assume the modified version means somebody that has a strong resemblance or character trait of one of their parents.

However, folklore suggests otherwise. While perfecting the art of fine chip making, Thomas Chipman would place the best of his freshly cooked chips on a roughly hewn slab of oak wood to cool. Not surprisingly, the locals were drawn by the aroma and would find any excuse to visit, just to savour “a chip off the old block”.

Today, the quest for the perfect corn chip continues. Thomas Chipman Corn Chips are made from stone ground corn kernels using organic ingredients and cooked to perfection. Sadly, the oaken block has gone but now the chips can be enjoyed the world over – straight from the pack.